A frightened knifeman handed himself in to police after slashing a 19-year-old man in the face during a fight outside a Harold Hill pub, it has emerged.

The attack – the latest in a series of violent incidents at The Alderman pub – resulted in its recent three-week closure as council officers and police reviewed its licence.

The stabbing took place at about 11pm on March 31, a police submission to Havering Council’s licensing sub-committee said.

After the incident, the 42-year-old man rang police thinking it was “a safer option” than remaining on the streets waiting for a revenge attack.

The victim suffered a deep cut to his face, from his eyebrow to his nose, and a wound from his nose to his mouth.

Several days after his arrest, the man remained voluntarily in custody fearing patrons at the Chippenham Road pub may seek “violent retribution”.

Over the past year, the pub has seen assaults involving a variety of weapons, including golf clubs, baseball bats and metal bars, the police report said.

For these reasons, police sought a review of the pub’s licence, which came to a head last week when the council applied new “strict conditions”.

The pub was closed from April 4 to 24 after its licence was suspended.

The new licence includes measures requiring that the designated premises supervisor, or alcohol licence holder, is always present when alcohol is sold and that “no alcohol is dispensed directly by one person into the mouth of another” except in special circumstances.

A Havering Council spokesman said: “These strict conditions were suggested by Cubitt Taverns Ltd themselves to address their own ongoing concerns at the pub.

“We expect those issues can be resolved by the time the premises returns to its normal opening hours.”

The Recorder was unable to reach The Alderman pub for a comment. But, in a submission to the committee, Anne and James Cubitt, speaking on behalf of the pub stated: “We would like to make it clear that our intention always has, and always will be, to comply with the licensing objective…”

They took responsibility but believed they had taken “reasonable precautions” to prevent issues arising.